Tag Archives: grateful

It’s that time of year again. The time where we all come together, with friends and family, to celebrate the things that we are most grateful for. Lately, I feel like there are so many wonderful, incredible things in my life that deserve to be noted, but because this is “13 reasons” and not “300 reasons”, I’ll try to limit it to the very best of the best!

1. I finally have my camera charger back! Silly me, and this is going to sound really bad, but when I moved to college for this semester once again, I forgot a tiny little thing that I would need for my camera: the charger. So I had everything, from lenses, to carrying bags, to my DSLRs that I love so very much, and no charger. For either camera. But since I’m back home and spending this week having quality time with the fam, I was able to charge my camera! It’s been way too long, and I’m going to be pretty snap happy for these next couple of months.

2. We always have the best, most delicious coffee at home. It’s one of the little things I miss when I’m away at school. I don’t even know what it is that makes it so much better. Perhaps the fact that it tastes a little stronger, even when it’s sweetened? It’s like crack. That must be the secret ingredient or something…

3. I have time to blog again! With all the craziness of finals week arriving and the closure of my courses in combination with everything else, I have had absolutely no time to write, and I’ve missed it. I do it for you guys because I know you enjoy my work, but I especially enjoy it because in most cases, it feels quite therapeutic to me. Stay tuned for all the new posts coming soon! THEY’RE COMING.

4. All the positive feedback I’ve received as of late. Even with me being busy and not having as much time lately to write for you guys everyday, you’ve still been so loving and supportive. I’ve barely lost any followers and subscribers, and it means a lot to me that you guys have stuck around!

5. Sleeping in my own bed. It’s a pile of fluffy sheets and copious amounts of blankets that feel a lot like what heaven would feel like if it were a place to sleep. No bed compares to my bed at home, not to knock my bed in my apartment that highly resembles the hardness of blanketed concrete. But yeah.

6. The weather is just gorgeous! I came from school, raining ferociously and wind blowing over bikes, to back home, sunny, breezy, and clear-sky-ed. It’s not even boiling hot. It’s a dream, really.

7. After several months of being away from my family, nothing is more exciting than getting to spend time with them again. I’ve been here for only a couple of days so far and it’s been amazing. I look forward to countless more memories in this week alone, err….these next few days, the last few days…. before I have to head back to take my exams! *sigh*

The child within me weeps at the thought of leaving them and going back to my responsibilities. D*mn you, adulthood.

8. This is the first time I’ve had an ounce of free time, and I’m clinging to them desperately. My major is definitely for the sleepless, but these breaks help me refocus. I’m keeping my eyes on the prize, even if they’re watery and red from tiredness.

I don’t have a ton of time, but I sure am a professional napper and cryer at this point.

9. I have access to all my pretty clothes (and BEANIES!) that I didn’t get to bring when I moved away to college. It feels like I have brand new clothes every time I come home because there are so many pieces that I haven’t seen in a while. It gives me inspiration to try new outfits and rewear the clothes that I already have!

See that gif? Yeah, that’s me at college, staring in despair at my overflowing yet empty closet. NOTHING TO WEAR. NOTHING TO WEAR AT ALL.

10. I can finally catch up on my latest guilty pleasure and the most successful procrastination technique I’ve discovered thus far within this semester: the Vampire Diaries series. It’s pretty dangerous when I have time to marathon on Netflix and when Netflix actually has to ask if I’m still there. Someone send help (Is there a life alert for Netflixers?!)!

Oh, and the answer to that question? College. Yep, yep. Feeling nothing. Team no sleep. Kinda numb. Coffee running through my veins. Sweatpants all day, everyday. It really does things to you…..

11. I have time to work on building my audience. I’ve been slacking lately and I feel like my blog has come to somewhat of a stat-standstill, so it’ll be nice to dedicate some time to gaining exposure again. It takes a chunk of time and effort to create and manage a blog, and I don’t want to be that person that gives up when time gets tough! I, no, more like WE, will work through this. I have a good feeling.

12. I’m learning to be much more independent and actually relishing in the independence. I think after a breakup, it’s best to learn how to focus on yourself and what you need to personally accomplish, and I feel like I’m doing that successfully lately. Sometimes I do need to turn my attention to myself and figure out what I want in order to prioritize my own dreams for the future.

13. Everything feels like it’s falling into place. There are times in all of our lives when we feel fluctuation, when things get bad, get a little bit better, but then revert back to what we’ve been dreading. Lately, though, things are looking up. I feel like I’m cultivating a lot of positivity and I hope to maintain this positive outlook for the remainder of the year, and hopefully extend it beyond that. I can honestly say that I feel good, both physically and mentally. Things are looking up (knock on wood).

A much needed update. I feel absolutely awful for spending so much time away from writing, but I’d like to tell you guys what’s going on before I continue this journey. This semester, so far, has had be taking an emotional and physical beating. I feel completely drained. I’ve done really well in college so far, gotten generally A’s and B’s up until this point, and now that I’m diving into my major-related classes, I’m working double as hard to keep those A’s and B’s I’ve strived for in the past. And yes, I’ve got ’em currently, but seriously, I’m whipped. So here we go. I am back in the writing game, I’m happy to be back at my blog, and I’m ready to continue this journey with you guys, everyone that’s supported me and cheered me on even when I felt like giving up. This one’s for you for being as awesome as you are.

10 Things I am Grateful for This Week!

1. I have my inspiration back! For the love of God, FINALLY. I have a writing course that I’m taking that drains the creativity right out of me, so having this creativity in my grasp again is a blessing. I feel like writing keeps me going, and if I don’t have the energy to do it, I’m just not the same. So I am thankful for being inspired again!

2. I am thankful that my car is in pristine (working) condition again. You guys weren’t there for the sh*tshow that ensued with my car situation and how every morning felt like a new adventure trying to figure out whether I’d get to class or not on time, or whether I’d be giving another desperate call to AAA. My little beater, Antonio, is officially back in business. Ladies….

3. I have rediscovered my obsession with Civilization 5. Between classes, I’ve been coming back to my apartment and continuing what I believe to be the longest single game I’ve ever played, with 15 cumulative hours played. WTF am I even doing with my life? 20 minutes in real life feels like 2 seconds in Civ 5. I feel like the best conqueror the world has ever seen. I think I’m just gonna take this love a step further and start talking to people in Civ 5 terms and if they know what I mean and can relate to the craze, they’re automatically friends.

Friend: “I had a good time today. We should do this again.”

Me: “How about we make a Public Declaration of Friendship for 15 turns to make it official?”

Friend: “Girl, you took the words right out of my mouth. Might as well open our borders as well, just for old time’s sake.”

4. Ever since I started my subscription with Ipsy, I feel like I’m better equipped to look dashing in every situation and actually feel like I do. I’m learning how to accept using new products that I’ve never seen or heard about before without feeling like I’ve betrayed my regular purchases and am becoming more accustomed to experimenting with new makeup. *Fit Me foundation hysterically crying in the distance* I’m sorry, shhh, it’s not me or Ipsy. It’s you….You just….don’t Fit Me anymore…

5. And finally, last night I got a total of 12 hours of sleep, on accident. Yes, I repeat, on accident. Didn’t even mean to fall asleep, but your girl feel like she’s got rainbows shooting from her eyeballs. Sleep is such a beautiful thing. Every college student in the entire world knows this struggle.

What are you thankful for this week?

Leave a comment below if you love me. And if you don’t? Well, I don’t love you either. The feeling’s mutual, buddy.

1. The sweet guy that served me coffee at Starbucks on South Beach that told me I’m “a darling”.

2. Finding one of the most beautiful dresses I’ve ever seen in my entire life and my mom buying it for me because she knew how obsessed I was!

3. Getting to witness a photoshoot for a clothing company that I love (H&M) for the first time in my life. I got to see the way they changed and styled the model on scene and how they posed her.

4. Meeting a lovely woman in one of the galleries I visited that gave me insightful and crucial advice to help me advance forward in my creative endeavors. She was so sweet, and she definitely gave me some reassurance that I needed!

5. Getting to spend some quality time wandering South Beach with my mom who doubles as my best friend in the entire world! We always have fun when we’re together, even if we’re just running errands.

6. Having my car all tuned up and ready to go for when I move up to college again. It’s such a relief to have another thing to check off of my list before I leave for fall semester. I can’t even believe we’re getting so close to the school year again!

7. Getting to wear a semi-new dress that I bought that makes me feel like a sunflower. It’s so bright and festive! It’s true about what they say when it comes to what you’re wearing. A cheerful outfit can leave you feeling emotionally uplifted!

8. Trying on high waisted shorts that my mom and I both agreed to be adorable on the hanger, only to realize we looked like we could be Erkel’s double in them. Needless to say we didn’t buy them, but we had a great laugh over it.

9. Sometimes the rain can be a downer, but today it made the air so cool after such a hot morning. It was a great change! It’s uncomfortable when you feel like you’re swimming in sweat.

10. Everything today went seamlessly. No traffic jams, no desperation for parking, nothing. Everything was perfect, down to the little things.

I’ve decided to make a BLOG INSTAGRAM so I can connect with all my readers (EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU), so if you’d enjoy having my company on your dashboard (or want to be best friends), go ahead and click the follow button on:

mandiritotheblogger

In addition to that, you know the drill. I have a Facebook page for the blog as well, if you click the following link:

Stay beautiful, and thank you for your undying love and support. I’m so thankful that, one day, I decided to start a blog and really stick to it. I feel so encouraged by this project and I look forward to many years ahead of continuing joy and discovery in this journey as a writer. This is only the beginning.

1. The big smile and excitement I received when I went to Target and happened to run into a woman that seemed very low on energy working the closing shift, that I had struck up a conversation with in passing. I feel like that little conversation made her really happy, which rubbed off on me, too! Happiness is contagious, and I needed that good, warm feeling probably as much as she did.

2. The popularity of “All of Me” on the radio. I became obsessed with it long before it got “radio popular” and now I hear it everywhere. This is a great thing!

3. My family for always being strong role models. Even though we all have our little quirks, we’re an incredibly hardy, generous, great group of people. I was definitely born to the right parents.

4. The woman I had met out shopping that told me that I would “look good in anything”, which made me bashful!

5. The cleanliness of my room right now. It’s so CLEAN and ORGANIZED, and everything is in its place! I feel like I’m in heaven. It took work, but the work was worth the result: spotless bliss.

6. Guacamole. Just guacamole. Forever. Always. Guacamole.

7. My ability to put myself in others’ shoes. I feel like this is a big one, because it’s helped me a lot, and today, it once again was super helpful. I’m surprised I can fit, with my big feet. *shrugs*

8. I’m thankful that my boyfriend has a job, because as we all know, college breaks wallets. He deserves to have play money AS WELL AS saving money! 🙂

9. The vintage dress that I fell in love with today for only FIVE DOLLARS. Oh yes. Beautiful, lacy, black, GORGEOUS vintage. It was a REALLY lucky find!

10. Last but not least, I am thankful for my skin being so beautiful today!! Ah! I feel like it’s perfect looking, and I haven’t even been using any of my (MANY) creams and scrubs. It looks so clear, which you will rarely hear me say about my skin!